Terminal equipment for aircraft



April 29, 1952 F. R. HARRIS 2,594,773

TERMINAL EQUIPMENT FOR AIRCRAFT Filed Nov. 2, 1945 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 INVEN TOR. fie den'c H Harris HTTOR/Vf April 29, 1952 F. R. HARRIS TERMINAL EQUIPMENT FOR AIRCRAFT 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Nov. 2, 1945 INVENTOR. i 'recifim'c f1. //arrz's Patented Apr. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES TERMINAL EQUIPMENT FOR AIRCRAFT deceased PATENT OFFICE Application November 2, 1945, Serial No. 626,303

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to improvements in terminal equipment for aircraft; and more particularly to apparatus for shifting a seaplane, after it has come to rest upon the surface of a body of water, into position for inspection and repair, and to receive or discharge freight and passengers.

In the early days of transportation by seaplanes when the ships were relatively small and light, it was possible to launch them upon the water or hoist them out by cranes. An alternative procedure was the use of wheeled, pneumatic-tired beaching gear which could be attached to the hull while the plane was afloat; to enable the latter to be hauled up a sloping ramp or apron upon the shore.

Seaplanes have now increased in size until today ships of over 300 foot wing span and 175 tons in weight are under construction. It is a real problem to get such ships into place and moor them at terminals for the routine transfer of passengers and freight, and occasionally for lifting the ships out of the water for repairs.

The present method of securing or berthing such ships is in slips, defined by floats of low freeboard. The use of floating slips is quite advantageous because they offer a uniform free: board and can be connected to the shore by ramps of suflicient length to give a satisfactory grade at any stage of the tide.

Doors for passengers or freight are located at the sides of the hull of a seaplane, either under .the wings or in the after-end of the ship or tail thereof. For this reason it is desirable, when freight or passengers are being taken on or off, to move the ship into the slip stern first. EX- amination of engines can then be made from an elevated scaffold or the like at the oil-shore end of the float without interfering with loading or unloading of the planes.

When it becomes necessary to repair or replace engines, it is desirable to work the ship bow first into the slip so that cranes can be used for lifting engines out of their mounts.

To raise the ship out of water for underwater hull repairs, or in order to transfer the ship to land, some mechanical means of picking up the ship, preferably in a cradle, is required. A cradle or carriage'having wheels enables the ship, when supported thereon, to be hauled to any desired point ashore.

, In alighting on the water or taking off, a large air ship requires an extended area of unobstruced water. Having come down, the ship then taxis under its own power into a protected basin, and is ultimately tied up in a slip. The hull of a seaplane, being lightly constructed, must be handled with great care. The present practice in moving the plane into the slip is tedious and unsatisfactory.

When on the water, operating under its own power at slow speed, the plane is difficult to manage, especially in a wind. Once having propelled itself to the general vicinity of the land-- ing point, it must be kept under complete control and ferried to the terminal floats. An important object of this invention is to provide a self-propelled auxiliary floating unit, which comprises a buoyant enclosure and is preferably of approximate slip form; and into which, nearby but at some distance away from the terminal, the approaching ship taxis, head-towi ndward. The unit has, in its most practical embodiment, a wide open entrance, and cushioning means to prevent damage to the hull of the plane as the latter rides in. The ship having been made fast therein, the unit is driven to the slip which is to receive the plane, towing the plane with it. During this operation the plane remains waterborne. The unit is highly maneuverable and can present either its bow or stern to a slip, to which at last it is securely attached.

The nature of the invention is fully disclosed in the accompanying drawing and description; but I reserve the right to make changes that are in keeping with the principle thereof.

On said drawings:

Fi ure 1 is a side view of an airplane as finally herthed in a floating terminal of slip form.

Figure 2 is a top plan of the unit about to take control of the plane.

Figure 3 is a top plan of the terminal of Figure 1. showing also the auxiliary unit still in position at one end of the slip after delivering the airplane into the slip, tail foremost.

Figure 4 is a top plan of the same construction ith the auxiliary unit in its other position, having delivered the airplane bow foremost into the slip.

Figure 5 is a side view similar to Figure 1 showinc the plane supported by a cradle on a slightly different type of floating terminal, preparatory to being hauled on shore for repairs.

Figure 6 is a top plan showing the floating terminal illustrated in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a cross-section of the auxiliary The numeral I indicates a floating terminal or platform attached to a buoyant ramp 2 by means of hinges or other suitable connections indicated at 3. The ramp 2 is similarly connected to the end of a pier or wharf 4, the top of which is above level of tidewater. The ramp 2 is long enough to offer an easy grade from the top of the terminal i to the surface of the pier 4 at any level of the tide so that the plane can be drawn up to the pier or shore, when necessary. In practice, the floating terminal or platform I is substantially U-shaped comprising arms 5 which fiank a central slip 6. The slip 6 is wide enough and lon enough for the body of the plane shown at l to float therein, with the side doors or hatchways somewhat above the level of the top of the arms 5 of this platform, and easily reached, when the doors are opened, by means of suitable gangplanks. As indicated in Figures 3 and l, the plane can be berthed in the slip 6 with either its bow or its stern adjacent the inner end thereof. 1

Whenever a plane arrives in the vicinity of the terminal, it alights on water; and then, instead of taxing towards the landing platform I, it is turned head-to -wind and propelled along the surface under its own power towards the auxiliary unit indicated at 8 in Figure 2. This unit also lies head-to-wind but the rear end or stern is open so that the hull of the plane can glide into it slowly. This unit serves as an aquatic mule. It is really a specially designed barge having the form and characteristics of afloating dry dock. The mule comprises a hull 9 with side walls ID. The bow thereof is pointed as shown at H and is provided with swinging gates i2 hinged to the forward ends of the walls E0, to close the space between said walls above the bow of the hull 9. The clsed gates make an outjutting angle at the bow. At the stern, the Walls IE are rounded so as to taper gradually from the inboard towardsthe outboard faces thereof, leaving a flaring or widening entrance-way above the hull of the mule. When the aircraft approaches the mule, the latter is submerged so that th hull is under water, bow to windward. The side walls and bow gates then constitute in effect a buoyant, floating enclosure, with the entrance-way under the lee thereof. The plane then slides bow foremost into the mule from the stern until the nose reaches the gates 12. It is moored by attaching the nose to a cleat or post 13 on top of one of the gates, so that the plane can then be pulled by the mule towards the terminal I. The plane can also be secured by ropes or cables to additional points on the walls Ill; On the inboard faces the walls ll] of the mule have rubbertired rollers i l mounted in bearings l5. These tire-covered rotatable elements l4 serve as fenders to prevent the sides of the hull of ship I being damaged if it should swing against the walls Ill.

The mule 8 has means for admitting water to the hull thereof to submerge it; and pumps for expelling the water, to sink it and raise it, the same as an ordinary dry clock for lifting and repairing ships. In practice, the walls will be of such height that they can be submerged to a depth of nearly eleven feet. Thus, the wind pressure exerted on the mule is reduced and in a strong breeze the leeway of the mule with the aircraft, is greatly lessened. The gates l2 make less power necessary for propulsion and enable the mule with the plane in place to travel easily in any direction. Having received the plane, the mule is headed and steered towards the-platform I. It is provided with suitablepower-genuntil the wings l6 overlie the outer ends of the arms 5 thereof. If, on the other hand, the airship is to be delivered bow foremost, the "mule is to be maneuvered into the position shown in Figure 4. The bow of the mule projects into the slip; the gates l2 are opened and the ship moved into the slip 5 until its nose is adjacent the inner end thereof and the wings i6 overlie the inner ends of the arms 5. The auxiliary unit or mule 8 of course remains submerged while towing the plane and delivering it into the slip 6.

7 These operations are sufficient for taking passengers on or off and for the inspection and repair of the engines ll. The tail with elevator rudders I8 is always high enough to be above the float l. If, however, it is desirable to pull the plane out of water, a cradle or wheeled carriage i9 is first run out from the terminal fioat upon the deck of the mule 8 between the walls It, and the mule may be raised to take the float aboard. The a mule is then submerged as before to a sufficient depth of water above the hull, and the body of the airship is floated over the cradle i9, which has wheels 23. The ship is then suitably moored between the walls of the mule and the latter i then propelled towards a landing platform 5a, of the type shown in Figures 5 and 6. This platform is attached as before to a ramp 3. It has a slip 6 between arms 5, and an indentation Ed at the inner end of the slip, this indentation being of the same shape as the bow of the mule. The latter with the plane is maneuvered into the slip till its pointed bow enters the indentation to; the water is then discharged from the mule until the deck of the hull 9 thereof is level with the top of the platform 5a. The gates i2 are then swung open and the carriage with the plane upon it is then pulled out upon the terminal platform So. If the repairs are to be made to the plane on the float 5a, the plane is stabilized by securing it to the platform 5a with lines 21 and the cradle also, if desired. If necessary, too, the cradle with the plane lashed upon it can be pulled up the ramp 3 to the top of the pier or wharf 4 to receive whatever attention is'necessary.

As shown in Figure 7' the hull of the mule has a deck 22 between the walls, and the interior may be divided by bulkheads into a suitable number of compartments. The walls may likewise have inside decks 23 which support the diesel engines or other power units 24. These decks may be at any desired height in the walls I0. The power units are connected by suitable transmission devices, not shown, with propellers at the stern of the craft, one of the propellers being shown at 25. One propeller at the stern under each wall, or more, can be employed. These propellers can be rotated about a vertical shaft and thus used for steering. Any type of propeller giving a high measure of maneuverability, or other suitable driving means may be utilized. The mule possesses ample lifting capacity. and stability, and keeps the. plane under control at all times. The draft of the walls thereof virtually eliminates leeway in ferrying an airship. and the safeberthing of the plane, either bow first or stern first, is assured.

The top of the gates 12 will be wide enough to provide a walkway from wall to wall when the gates are closed; and may be surmounted by handrails indicated at 21 in Figure 10. Cleats and, if necessary, small power-driven capstans will make it possible to secure the bodyof the ship by lines at several points to the walls ID. The posts for the handrails are shown at 26.

At time of departure the mule is also useful in removing the seaplane from the slip, especially if docked bow first, and ferrying it, regardless of wind direction, to a far enough point from the landing platform for the ships own engines to take over.

The mule is thus approximately ship-shaped. and when submerged it encloses in efiect a closed basin of quiet, undisturbed water, upon which the hull of the airplane is borne. Pitching and rolling of the plane are prevented when the plane behind the partly sunken walls l0 and gates I2 is ferried in. The gates 12 helped to form the bow, and all wind and water resistance during propulsion is reduced to a minimum.

Having described my invention, what I claim Berthing equipment for a plane comprising a vessel having a hull and walls at the sides thereof, said walls having swinging gates at one end to close the adjacent end of the space between them above said hull, said walls and gates, when the hull is submerged below the surface, defining a movable water basin to receive the plane, said gates when closed making an outjutting angle at one end of the hull, one of said gates bearing a mooring post for the plane.

FREDERIC R. HARRIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 242,077 Turnbull May 24, 1881 287,156 Peetz Oct. 23, 1883 1,267,956 Baeck May 28, 1918 1,751,639 Junkers Mar. 25, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,999 Great Britain Nov. 15, 1866 22,772 Great Britain Oct. 7, 1912 24,433 Great Britain Oct. 28, 1913 450,265 Great Britain July 14, 1936 

